Antifriction bearing



Jum` 3, 1930. J. F. @CONNQR 1,761,275

v ANTIFRICTION BEMING Filed March 12, 1927 fgl Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN F. OCONNOR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO W. I-I. MINER, INC., 0F y CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ANTIFRICTION BEARING Application filed VMarch 12, 1927. Serial No. 174,731.

This invention relates to anti-friction bearings.

An object of the invention is to provide an anti-friction bearing comprising a retainer adapted to be secured to the bolster of a railway car including anti-friction means co-operating with said retainer and adapted to be engaged by the associated bolster and movable thereby to either side of central position with reference to the retainer, together with mechanism for returning the anti-friction means to central position when free from load.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide anti-friction means in the form of a pair of anti-friction rollers connected to move in unison, in conjunction with centrally disposed vertically movable yieldable means which project between the rollers and normally hold the same in central position with reference to the retainer, which yieldable means are adapted to be depressed by engagement with one or the other of the rollers when the rollers are moved in oppor site directions whereby said means exerts an upward pressure beneath the roller engaging the same, and to one side of the center of gravity thereof for returning the rollers to their initial starting position, said yieldable means including a follower having a spherical conformation whereby the thrust upon the roller in engagement therewith is at an angle to the vertical movement of said yieldable means.

Other and further objects of the invention will more fully appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional* view takenthrough the ends of the body and truck bolsters of a railway car, and showing a side elevational view of the invention as applied to the truck bolster.

Figure 2 is a to tien bearing,

plan view of the anti-fric owing the same detached from the truck bolster. And Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the antifriction bearing and truck bolster taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings, the anti-friction bearing broadly comprises a base plate A, a retainer B, anti-friction means C, and centering means D.

The base member A is of elongated formation, and is secured to the upper surface of the truck bolster indicated at 10, by means of centrally disposed rivets 11-11. The retainer B comprises side walls 12-12, each having an overhanging flange indicated at 13, and integrally formed curved end walls 14L-14, the end walls being provided with outwardly extending securing lugs 15-15, which are secured to the base plate 10 by rivets 16-16. The securing lugs 15-15, and portions of the side and end walls 12-12, are provided with extensions 17-17 at each side of the retainer, which project downwardly over the side surfaces of the base plate A when the retainer is secured in position thereon.

Mounted inthe retainer B is a bearing plate 18 which rests upon the base plate A.

Disposed in the retainer B are the antifriction means which comprise a pair of similar rollers, each of which is provided with an axially disposed socket 20 in each end. Mounted at each side of the retainer are connecting bars 2l21, each being disposed in the off-set 19 in the side wall of the retainer beneath the overhanging flange 13. Each of the bars 21 is yprovided with cylindrical projections 22*22, one of the projections being arranged adjacent one end of the bar and adapted to extend into the socket 20 of one roller, while the other project-ion on said bar is adjacent the opposite end thereof and extends into the socket 20 of the other-roller. The connecting bars 21521 serve" to connect the rollers in 'spaced relatci for movement in unison 'when the l same are engaged by the body bolster of the car. A fender 23 is provided which has flanges 24-24 resting upon the rollers, the fender being attenuated in cross section intermediate its top and bottom portions so as to be disposed between the rollers as shown, the lower extremity 25 of the fender being provided with lateral extensions 26-26 which project beneath the connecting bars 2l-2l. The fender 23 closes the space between the rollers and prevents the entrance of foreign matter beneath the rollers at this point.

The centering means D as shown in Figures 2 and 3 is mounted in a central posi.- tion with reference to the retainer', and at a point beneath the anti-friction elements C. The centering means comprises a coiled spring 27 mounted in a socket 28 formed in the base plate A, and extending upwardly through an opening 29 in the bearing plate 1'8. Co-operating with the spring 27 is a follower 30 having a socket 31 for the reception of the upper end of the spring 27, said follower being slidably mounted in the socket 28 ofthe base plate A, and in the opening 29 in the'bearing plate 18, the walls of saidsocket and opening providing a guide for the follower to effect operative movement thereof in a vertical direction. The engaging end or head of the follower 30 is spherical in form, and is projected upwardly by the spring 27 into engagement with both of the rollers forming the anti-friction means, so as to retain the same in central position.

In operation, assuming the rollers are moved toward the right as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l, the left-hand roller passes over the follower 30 and depresses the same against the resistance offered by the spring 27, movement of the rollers in the right-hand direction being limited by engagement of the right-hand rollers with the adjacent end wall of the housing which positions the spherical'head of the follower 30 beneath and slightly to one side of the center of gravity of the left-hand roller, whereby upon removal of load from the rollers, upward movement of the follower 30 under the influence of the spring exerts an upward thrust upon the left-hand roller slightly to one side of the center of gravity thereof, and by reason of the spherical formation of the head of the follower, the thrust is not only upward in a vertical direction, but toward the left, resulting in the pair of rollers being moved. toward their original starting positions, until the righthand roller again comes into engagement with the follower, which then acts to maintain the two rollers in central position. Movement of the rollers in a left-hand direction brings about operation the reverse of that just described.

In assembling the bearing, the spring follower, bearing plate, rollers, fender, and connecting bars are inserted into the retainer B through the open bottom thereof, after which the retainer is secured to the base plate A as heretofore described, attention being called to the fact that all parts are maintained in position by the flanges 13-13 on the retainer which prevent withdrawal of the bars 2l-2l, the latter in turn holding the rollers and fender in position, and the rollers operating to maintain the bearing plate, and the centering means in proper operative positions.

lVhile I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In an anti-friction bearing, the oombination with a retainer having a bearing surface; of anti-friction means comprising a pair of rollers connected together in spaced relation for movement in unison; and yieldable means disposed beneath said rollers and extending upwardly between the same to maintain them in centered position with reference to said retainer, movement of said rollers to one side or the other of central position causing engagement thereof with said yieldable means to depress the same, said retainer being provided with means for limiting movement of said rollers to dispose the center of gravity of the roller in engagement with said means slightly to one side of the latter in a direction away from the other roller, whereby said yieldable means exert an upward thrust upon said roller to return the rollers toward centered position.

2. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with a retainer having a bearing surface; of anti-friction means comprising a pair of rollers connected together in spaced relation for movement in unison; and yieldable means disposed beneath said rollers and extending upwardlybetween the same to maintain them in centered position with reference to said retainer, movement of said rollers to one side or the other of central position causing engagement thereof with said yieldable means to depress the same, said retainer being provided with means for limiting movement of said rollers to dispose the center of gravity of the roller in engagement with said means slightly to one side of the latter in a direction away from Vthe other roller, whereby said yieldable means exert an upward thrust upon said roller to return the same toward centered position, said yieldable means including a follower having a spherical head disposed to engage said rollers, and being urged upwardly in a vertical direction by resilient means mounted in said retainer.

3. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with a retainer comprising a bearing plate, and side and end walls; of a pair of anti-friction elements disposed in said retainer and adapted to have rolling engagement with said bearing plate, said elements being connected in spaced relation for movement in unison; and yieldable centering means mounted in said retainer and extending upwardly beneath said elements to a position between them so as to bear upon the same, said means being limited to movement substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of said anti-friction elements, and being depressible by said elements upon movement toward opposite ends of said retainer, movement of said antifriction elements being limited by said retainer to prevent the center of the element in engagement with the centering means from superposed vertical coincidence with the center of said centering means.

4l. In an anti-'friction bearing, the combination with a base member adapted to be secured to a bolster; of a retainer having off-set side walls provided with overhanging top flanges, and end walls connecting said side walls, said retainer being further provided with means for securing the same to said base member; a bearing plate disposed in said retainer and resting on said base member; a pair of rollers arranged in said retainer and having rolling engagement with said bearing plate, each of said rollers being provided with an axially disposed socket in each end; connecting bars arranged within the olf-set portions of the side walls of the retainer beneath the overhanging flanges thereon, and each provided with a laterally extended projection at each end, disposed in the socket of the adjacent roller for connecting said rollers together in spaced relation; centering means arranged in the bottom of said retainer, and comprising yieldable means and a follower movable substantially in a vertical direction and extending between said rollers and into engagement therewith, to maintain the rollers in central position, said means beingy depressible by movement of said rollers to either end of said retainer, the operative parts of said anti-friction bearing being maintained in assembled relation when said retainer is secured to said base member.

5. In an anti-friction bearing, the combinationwith a base member, adapted to be secured to a truck bolster, and provided with a centrally disposed socket; of a retainer having off-set side walls provided with overhanging top flanges, and end walls connecting said side walls, said retainer being secured to said base member; a bearing plate disposed in said retainer and provided' with an aperture registering with the socket in said base member; a pair of antifriction elements arranged in said retainer and having rolling engagement with said bearing plate, each of said elements being provided "with a socket in each end; connecting bars arranged within the olf-set portions of the side walls of the retainer beneath the overhanging flanges thereof, and each bar provided with projections disposed in the sockets of said anti-friction elements for connecting the latter together in spaced relation; a follower mounted beneath said anti-friction elements in the socket of said base member and opening of said bearing plate, the walls of which limit movement of the follower to a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of said anti-friction elements; and resilient means interposed between the bottom of the socket in the base member and the follower so as to nrge the latter upwardly between and into engagement with the anti-friction elements.

6. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with retainer having a bearing surface; of anti-friction means comprising a pair of rollers connected together in spaced relation for movement in unison; and yieldable means co-operating with said retainer and supported thereby for movement in a direction toward said rollers, substantially at right angles to the movement of said rollers back and forth in said retainer, said means extending between said rollers and bearing thereon, and being adapted to be flexed upon movement of said rollers to either side of central position, said retainer being provided with means for limiting movement of said rollers to dispose the center of the roller in engagement with said means slightly to one side of the latter, in a direction away from the other roller, whereby said yieldable means exert a thrust upon said roller to return the same toward central position. n

7. In an anti-friction bearing of the character described, the combination with a pair of rollers connected together in spaced relation; of means for maintaining said rollers in central position when free from load, said means including a member confined to movement substantially at right angles to the movement of said rollers, and projecting between said rollers, and said member being yieldably urged into engagement with both of said rollers.

8. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with a support provided with a bearing surface; of an anti-friction means having rolling engagement with said iirstnamed bearing surface; centering means forthe anti-friction means yieldingly projected above said iirst named bearing surface and having a curved engaging portion over nfw JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

